Consumer spending rebounds
NEW YORK (AP) -- Consumer spending rebounded in September while manufacturing activity expanded in October, though at a slower pace than the previous month, providing further evidence of continued but moderating economic growth on the eve of the presidential election.

Club Notes
Read about news and upcoming events from St. Augustines clubs.

Neighbors: News and notes from Hastings
A reminder from Skeeter Key, principal of Hastings Elementary School, about the tardy policy. School begins promptly at 7:45 a.m. After 7:55 a.m., any student entering the school will be marked tardy.

Keeping You in Stitches®
Keep up with new notions and accessory feet. A job you hate may turn out to be a snap with the right tool. Learn how to use a loop turner, a bias-tape maker, a narrow hemmer, and a flat-felling foot. But don't stop there; keep on learning.

Self Help
Read a list of self help groups in St. Johns County with contact information and scheduled meeting times.

People: Farrell: Next James Bond?
DUBLIN, Ireland (AP) -- Pierce Brosnan, who played British agent James Bond in the last four "007" films, says he thinks fellow Irishman Colin Farrell would be his ideal successor.

Dr. Donohue: Supergerms a deadly menace in hospitals
DEAR DR. DONOHUE: I have a friend who's been hospitalized with something called VRE. One of the nurses told me that this disease is often fatal. What the devil is VRE, and how is it treated? Is it contagious? How common is it? His friends and family are worried sick. -- B.S.

AP will be sole source of nationwide vote count information
NEW YORK -- News organizations will be relying on The Associated Press for a quick and accurate count of votes cast in today's elections, from top of the ticket races like president, Senate and governor, down through state legislature.

Study: Vaccine protects against cervical cancer
WASHINGTON-- Efforts to develop the world's first vaccine to prevent cervical cancer took a key step forward Monday with test results suggesting that it can provide long-lasting protection.

Presidential candidates tip-toe around immigration
WASHINGTON -- Both President Bush and his Democratic rival, Sen. John F. Kerry, have proposed changes that could lead to the most sweeping overhaul in 20 years of U.S. immigration policies, but neither has emphasized the often controversial subject on the stump.

Paroled killer gets 20 to life for killing woman
SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- A paroled killer caught in a chance traffic stop in Florida told a judge Monday that he deserved more than 20 years to life in state prison for killing a 39-year-old mother of five.

Bush relishes last day of campaigning
BURGETTSTOWN, Pa. -- An upbeat President Bush pushed through a six-state, 19-hour day of final campaigning Monday, saying he was energized by his supporters and confident he would win.

Rehnquist off bench while undergoing chemo, radiation
WASHINGTON -- Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist revealed Monday that he is undergoing chemotherapy and radiation treatment for thyroid cancer, signs he has a grave form of the disease and probably will not return to the bench soon.

Nader remains unrepentant as campaign winds down
WASHINGTON -- Ralph Nader has always been a solitary figure, and as he winds down his third presidential campaign, the independent candidate is more isolated than ever, down to a small cadre of family and hard-core acolytes.

Mica: Palatka needs a business plan to get ferry
PALATKA -- U.S. Rep. John Mica, R-Winter Park, told local leaders Monday that if Palatka is going to get a riverboat, the community needs a business plan quickly that shows how the boat could make enough money to cover operating expenses.

Beach officials open land account
The St. Augustine Beach City Commission was cautioned Monday night that a token effort to preserve the environment would be worse than no effort at all.

Limited vaccine available
The St. Johns County Health Department received a limited supply of flu vaccine, which will be available to high-risk members of the public through a series of shot clinics on Nov. 9 and 10 and on Nov. 15.

St. Johns sends out tax bills
St. Johns County on Monday sent tax bills to 98,533 property owners. These include bills for real estate, tangible personal property and non ad valorem assessments.

Weather forecasts made with science and experience
Contrary to popular belief, there is actually more to weather forecasting than tea leaves and dart boards. Modern weather forecasting relies on knowledge of the principles of atmospheric physics, combined with a hefty dash of experience and a good feel for local conditions that can have profound effects on daily weather.

All that's left is the voting
WASHINGTON -- And now the people decide. As Americans go to the polls today they'll bring down the curtain on an election more passionately and tightly contested than ever before -- with the possible exception, of course, of the one just four years ago.

Man arrested for DUI homicide remains in jail
A Jacksonville man accused of killing a Ponte Vedra Beach woman on June 27 while driving under the influence remains in St. Johns County Jail after he was unable to post the $250,000 bond set Friday.

August E. Ormonde
August E. Ormonde, 77, passed away Oct. 31, 2004 at Community Hospice in Jacksonville, FL. He has been a resident of St. Augustine for the past three years, moving here from Pompano Beach, FL, where he lived for 40 years and worked as a chef for the Tropical Acres Restaurant in Pompano Beach all of that time. He was an homorary member of the Knights of Columbus and also, a member of the American Legion Post No. 400 for the past 18 years. He served in the U.S. Navy, was born in South Dartmouth, Mass., where he lived and worked at the Acushnet Process Co., for many years before mo ving to Pompano Beach, FL. He is survived by a sister, Alicemae O. Bullock and her husband, Bill, in St. Augustine;, and two brothers, Joseph and his wife, Ruby, and Charles and his wife, Eunice, of South Dartmouth; two nieces, six nephews, several great nieces and nephews, all in Massachutes; also a sister-in-law, Mary Ormonde, in St. Augustine.

Horace Tenbrooke Dumont
Horace Tenbrooke "Doc" Dumont, Jr., 84, of St. Augustine, died Oct. 31, 2004, at Flagler Hospital. He was born in Philadelphia, and had resided in St. Augustine since 1969, He was a retired hospital administrator. He was the former owner of the Ocean Grove Campground, which he purchased in 1969. He served as former beach marshall and was a member of the Chamber of Commerce, and he served his country as a U.S. Merchant Marine during World War II. He was of the Episcopal faith.

Perspective: We need to look at the beach a different way
Most of us appreciated the "renourished beach" until it disappeared during our recent onslaught of hurricane weather. The loss of most of the beach sand within about two years makes one question the economic sense of spending $17 million or more for something that can be reclaimed by the sea after only a few storms.

Letter: Water, water everywhere?
Editor: This is in reference to your editorial titled "We benefit by thinking and spending at home. Ah! Just a tip of the iceberg or aquifer as this case maybe.

Charity begins at home
I personally have never written to the editorial page, but in the last few weeks I have witnessed quite elderly men and women waiting for flu shots at Publix Shopping Centers where they have waited as long as seven hours for less than 200 available shots.

Letter: A divided America
Editor: Every day I read articles from readers that are critical of both President Bush and Sen. Kerry. Frankly, I feel they serve little purpose in swaying voters but they do serve to illustrate the divisiveness that exists in our country today.

Perspective: Days of the Dead cross the border and gain followers
Phyllis Carrasco didn't know anything about the Days of the Dead until she went to college. Now she's practically an expert. Well, that's not how the volunteer artist would describe herself, but the huge community altar she helps design every year is a sight to behold.

Letter: This election, all is at stake
Editor: With Nov. 2 looming, we all must examine our presidential choices with exceptional clarity and profound depth. This isn't a time for jokes. Despite Arlene Norton's "Guest Perspective" of Oct. 17, using irony effectively in describing the simplistic adoration of our "down-home, good-ole-boy president," my fear is that many Bush champions didn't "get it."

Letter: Great job, Publix
Editor: A huge thanks to Manager Chris King of the Anastasia Publix, and to Assistant Deli Manager Andy Zagorski, along with the entire staff of his store. They went out of their way to make the long waiting time for flu shots more comfortable for those in line.

Guest Column: Yardman gouging?
My experiences lately pose a question: "Have yard workers formed a union"? The reason I ask is because due to the last hurricanes, much debris still abounds.

Jaguars a different team midway through season
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) -- Even through they are coming off a loss at Houston, the Jacksonville Jaguars are right where they want to be at the midway point of the season -- atop the AFC South.

Golf title chase is on for Nease, Bartram Trail
The Nease boys golf team is due -- for a state championship. The Panthers will be one of four county teams shooting for the ultimate prize in prep golf today, as the two-day tournament gets under way.

Patriots' 21-game winning run done
PITTSBURGH (AP) -- So much for a perfect week in New England sports, the Patriots' chances for a perfect season and the longest winning streaks in NFL history.

Roethlisberger a darling in Steeltown
PITTSBURGH -- He wasn't yet born the last time the Pittsburgh Steelers won the Super Bowl. That isn't preventing rookie quarterback Ben Roethlisberger from bringing back the memories of the greatest times -- and the greatest teams -- in franchise history.

Eagles stay perfect; Chargers cruise
PHILADELPHIA -- Terrell Owens had an 11-yard TD catch and David Akers kicked three field goals helping Philadelphia reach 7-0 for the first time in franchise history with a 15-10 win over the Baltimore Ravens.

One ticket wins Fantasy 5
TALLAHASSEE (AP) -- One winner of the "Fantasy 5" game will collect $165,599.84, the Florida Lottery said Monday.

Man's cooperation lessens sentence
JACKSONVILLE -- A Jacksonville businessman who once faced a mandatory life prison term on drug charges was sentenced to 10 years Monday after federal prosecutors and his defense attorney urged a judge to show leniency.

Fevered campaigning in last hours
MIAMI -- In the closing hours of their bitter campaign, President Bush and challenger Sen. John Kerry charged through the critical battlegrounds of Florida and Ohio on Sunday, going from hushed church services to raucous campaign rallies with promises to keep America safe.

Pensacola Beach welcomes visitors back after Ivan
PENSACOLA BEACH -- Brenda Coker cried tears of joy when she arrived at Pensacola Beach on Monday, the first time the public was allowed to visit this barrier island community since Hurricane Ivan struck nearly seven weeks ago.

In dead heat, Martinez, Castor rally voters voters
MIAMI -- Republican Mel Martinez asked voters to make history by electing the first Cuban-American senator and Democrat Betty Castor greeted black parishioners as both counted on help from their party's presidential candidates Sunday.

Scientists: Sewage can be energy source
Scientists are developing technology that would turn raw sewage into an energy source, according to a report published today in the American Chemical Society journal Environmental Science & Technology.

16-year-old Palestinian blows himself up at crowded market
TEL AVIV, Israel -- A 16-year-old Palestinian laden with explosives blew himself up Monday in a crowded outdoor market in Tel Aviv, killing three Israelis, wounding 32 and scattering body parts and blood-spattered vegetables on the ground. The bomber's mother said the militants who dispatched him were "immoral."

American, five others kidnapped
BAGHDAD, Iraq -- Militants kidnapped an American, a Nepalese and four Iraqi guards in a bloody assault on their office in the capital Monday, and gunmen assassinated Baghdad's deputy governor in a drive-by shooting, new violence that came as voter registration began for vital January elections.

Unions call strike of oil exports from Nigeria
LAGOS, Nigeria -- Unions declared the top oil multinational here, Royal Dutch/Shell, "an enemy of the Nigerian people" on Sunday and called a Nov. 16 nationwide strike that they said would target oil exports in Africa's oil giant.

Allawi: Time running out for peace in Fallujah
BAGHDAD, Iraq -- Iraq's interim prime minister on Sunday warned that efforts to resolve the standoff in Fallujah peacefully have entered their "final phase" and said he will not hesitate to launch "a military solution" to end Sunni insurgents' hold over the city.

Bin Laden's message: a call to bleed U.S.economically
CAIRO, Egypt -- Osama bin Laden vowed to bleed America to bankruptcy, according to a full transcript of unaired portions of a videotape released Monday by an Arab television station. The al-Qaida leader's remarks appeared targeted to the final days of the U.S. presidential campaign in which the struggling economy is a major issue.